Policy
by temporary relief
Summary: There were the lab's policies... and then there were his heart's policies... Mac/Stella one-shot


**Disclaimer: Don't own them. Kinda stinks though.**

**Notes: Just a drabble before I post a big ole story Thursday. Oh this is slightly sarcastic. It wasn't when I started, but I love sarcasm so it was just naturally in there. Like always, enjoy. **

***spoiler alert* Post 5x24. Pre 5x25**

**Policies**

He sat at his desk watching the lab out of the corner of his eye. Like he always did. That's when she walked up. He looked her up and down absentmindedly. And then mentally kicked himself. He was not supposed to have these feelings for a coworker. Especially not his best friend.

His best friend. She was off limits. Especially to him. There were rules. Unwritten and written. The written rules were his lab's protocol on relationships. The unwritten were the unspoken laws that made it forbidden for them to be in a relationship. They were, after all, friends. There was just too much trust involved. If something happened to them in a romantic relationship, their friendship would be doomed. So it was unspoken that she was off limits. Though that really could have been in his head because the way they acted toward each other was just sickeningly sweet toward each other. No one could go to Greece alone as just friends. Well, _they_ managed to. And Danny was going to mention something about what happens in Greece stays in Greece, but he hadn't had time with all the cases they were getting loaded down with.

Speaking of cases, she was saying something about theirs. He tried to concentrate, but even he was having trouble following along. And that was saying something.

"Mac, are you listening? This is very serious," she told him in a playful voice. One that told him she was not actually offended. He smiled. A genuine smile at that. He had missed her teasing him. It was something she had refrained from doing. It might have had _something_ to do with her lying to him for six months about a case he specifically told her to drop. It had put a _tiny _strain on their friendship. But still he could not help but reinstate her when she asked.

"Uh…" he struggled for the right words. She always seemed to be able to take the words out of his mouth so that his throat dried up. He coughed. "No. Sorry?" She laughed. A true laugh. He had several memories tucked away of her laughing. Sometimes with him, sometimes at him. It was then that a slideshow of the past few weeks played in his mind. She was quitting, and as soon as that came, the scene changed. They were in Greece. He was holding onto her as she turned from her mentor's body. Then they were on the plane home. She had her head on his shoulder the entire time. Even when she was sleeping deeply, he feared that his hammering heart would wake her up.

She had quit. His mind rested on that thought. Now, he was confused. In a way, that did make him not her boss, and therefore just her friend. Didn't that mean he was technically not her boss? In some strange universe (probably an alternate one), that meant that the lab's protocol and policies on relationships did not apply to them. But he had reinstated her. Therefore, the policies of the lab did apply. But what about the policies of his heart? What if he made that move?

She interrupted him from his thoughts. "Well, I guess all is forgiven." She smiled again. "You could always make it up though. Not listening is a serious misdemeanor if not a crime."

"Well, shift was over about ten minutes ago. It wouldn't hurt if we left to go to dinner." He looked nervous like a small child asking a teacher a question, not knowing how they would answer or react even. And if Stella knew how he felt, would it scare her? He could not help but develop romantic feelings for his partner. The way she walked, the way she talked, and just the feeling he got being around her just intoxicated his every cell.

"That'd be fantastic." She smiled at him again, and he saw an unrecognized glint in her eyes. He felt himself turn a shade of pink. Did she notice? It had been a while since he had been this nervous. It was a different type of nervous than when he had faced the man in that garden in Greece. He forced himself from those thoughts. They were, after all, not lab policy. But that was not the only policy he had to listen to. There was his heart that told him with all its might to just go for it. And his heart policy tended to beat a little louder than the lab's.

She looked at him from across the table with eyes that made him melt. Anything she asked would be hers. He forced himself to focus on their conversation. Yet he couldn't not think about the policy of the lab. There were certain rules and he couldn't just throw them out the window. Well, strictly speaking, he could. Though it was not in his character to do something like that. But he could not just ignore what his entire body, mind, and heart said.

Finally, they made it through dinner, where he had just barely been able to keep his head above water. She looked at him and smiled.

"Mac, I know I've said this before, but I just want to say," she sighed. "Thank you. But I have to ask. What has been bugging you all day? You haven't been on you're A-game since Greece."

"I've just been thinking," he took a deep breath before continuing. "I've been thinking about the lab's protocol." She smiled unexpectedly.

"To tell you the truth, Mac, I have too."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, about the relationship clause. I don't really think it applies especially after Danny and Lindsay. And besides, I really wanted to thank you for dinner and for being such a great friend. I don't know anyone else who would have gone to Greece for me," she looked away from his gaze. Feelings had further developed after their stay in Greece. She had long suppressed an attraction for him. He was her friend and her boss. But now, there was something in his eyes that led her to hope that maybe something could happen. But she knew that she would have to make the first move. So she did.

She put her hand on his cheek. "Stell." His voice was a warning, and she felt vibrations from his voice moving through her hand. She pulled him down into a soft kiss. He protested at first, but she persisted. Something she was always good at. And he threw out his prior concerns to join in this kiss. And it was definitely _not_ lab policy.

**A/N: How'd you like it? Was it cheesy? What do you think? Please review. Have a great day! XD**


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